Single walled metal container



Feb. 23, 1965 w. W.BUL.GRIN

SINGLE WALLED METAL coummsa 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 22, 1961 lllillll FIG.2

Feb. 23, 1965 w. w. BULGRIN smcua WALLED METAL cou'mmsa 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 22. 1961 Feb. 23, 1965 w. w. BULGRIN SINGLE WALLED METAL CONTAINER Filed Dec. 22. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3,170,586 SINGLE WALLED METAL CONTAKNER Walter W. Bulgrin, Akron, Ghio, assignor to The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ghio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Dec. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 161,469 2. Claims. (Ell. 220) The present invention relates to barrels orcontainers and in particular to single walled metal containers for beer.

One of the problems continually faced by the beer container industry is to arrive at a designed structure for single walled metal beer containers which will have economic versatility; that is, a structure which can be varied in design while maintaining minimum cost. In manufacturing such containers it is deemed highly advantageous tobe able to reduce the number of steps taken in setting up production on containers of various volumet'ric'capacities for usein difierent countries. Further, inasmuch as beer is often put into the containers under high-pressure, the container must be capable'of sustaining high internal'pressures. It must also be capable of taking rough external abuse.

One of the-objects of the'present invention, in an attemptto solve the aforementioned problem, is to provide an improved single walled metal container which will be suitable andadaptable to the diifering needs of customers in various parts of the world. For example, beer containers in use in the United States may use a Golden Gate or a Peerless type of tap fitting, to mention only a few in use. InEngland, a Barnes adaptor or a Keystone adaptor, or both, are commonly employed; again mentioning only a'few tap fittings for purposes of illustration. In Australia, at present, only one fitting through which the containeris tapped, drained,'cleaned and filled is required; whereas, in the United States the fitting through which a container is cleaned and filled may not be the same fitting through which the container is tapped, and frequently there may be more than two fittings. Thus, a versatile design for a container which may beuprovided with as many or few fittings as necessary to suit a particular'customers needs in a particular country is the-epitome of economic versatility.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a single wall d metal container having end shells of predetermined axial length formed with integral double walled chimes, an intermediate continuous center portion adapted to space and join the end shells and having an- United States Patent 0 3,l?,58b ?atentecl Feb. 23, 1965 FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the bottom end shell of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fractional elevation of a Keystone adaptor;

FIG. 7 is a fractional plan view of the intermediate center portion showing the bung patch plate assembly; and

' FIG. 8 is a plan view of the bung support casting.

In my cope nding application Serial No. 161,465, filed December 22, 1961, a container is disclosed-which has a top end shell comprising a convexed exterior surface and a concaved interior surface, or which ,is said to be convexo-concave in configuration, and which top end shell is provided with a separately formed and attached single walled chime. The concaved interior surface permits the container to be cleaned, drained and filled through the fitting at the center of the shell, Only one fitting can be provided for in the top end shell and it is necessary that i the fitting be of such size as to accommodate the usual nular configurated flat surfaces reinforced on at least one s'idethereof by annular corrugations, one of the end shells having a concaved recessed aperture in a convexed surface, bounded by one of the integral double walled chimes and an adaptor fitting projecting axially outwardly from within the concaved recessed aperture and extending above the convexed surface and below the outermost end surface of the one integral double walled chime.

Other objects inherent in the nature of the design of the presentinvention will become apparent to those skilled in the ,cooperage art from the drawings and description which follows.

In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of the barrel or container of the present invention; I

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional View of FIG 1 of the bottom end shell showing a side tapped fitting; FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of FIG. 1 of. the bottom end shell showing an axial endtapped fitting;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the top end'shell, as illustrated in FIG. 1;

center portion '16.

racking equipment employed in the cleaning and filling operation of beer containers. .The interior surface of the top end shell eliminates the need of a side bung structure because the container can be completely drained without leaving collecting pockets of undesirable liquids, but the savin s in this elimination are not nearly as great because of the cost of the separately fabricated and attached single walled chime. However, the resulting construction suits the needs of a particular segment'of'the beer producing industry. The barrel or container which is the subject of the presentinvention represents an approach to fill the needs of a large substantial portion of the beer industry and is indicated generally at lit in FIG. 1. The container or barrel 10 is preferably constructed of stainless steel. This material is chosen not only because of its non-corrosive character andstrength, but also because it does not impart undesired flavor to the beer and thus require a special interior coating such as pitch, which coating isfrequently the constituent of coatings in aluminum barrels.

The container it) comprises basically a top end shell 12, a bottom end shell 14, and an intermediate continuous The top end shell 12 has a predetermined axial length, which length depends upon the desired volumetric'capacity of the completed container; In the alternative, the predetermined axial lengthmay be at the optimum minimum, which is just sufiicient to be chucked in a welding jig and according to the invention of my other cope'nding application Serial No. 161,471, filed December 22, 1961. It will be noted that the shell tapers in an axial direction, as may be observed from FIG. 1. Y

The top end shell is provided with an integral double walled chime 18, which chime is formed in the end shell prior to the assembly of the'topend shell with'the interof types of fittings, such as the above mentioned Barnes adaptor, which is illustrated by way of example in FIG. 1 atfilt). The adaptor or adaptor fitting 30 projects axially outwardly fromthe concaved recess above the convexed surface 24 and below the flattened end surface 2 00f the integral double walled chime against damage. I j V The convexed surface 24 is also provided with anem- 18 so as to be protected bossed sump 31?. which extends radially outwardly from the outer periphery 34 of the concaved recess 26. The

completed container, and the combination of the con:

caved recess, the convexed surface 24, the embossed sump 32, and the integral double walled chime 18 presents an extremely rigid end shell construction.

The second tap fitting 36 projects axially inwardly within the embossed sump, the particular fitting shown in FIG. 1 being a Keystone adaptor, although other fittings suitable for axial inward projection may also be employed.

The bottom end shell 14 has a spherically domed surface 38 and is bounded by an integral double walled chime'40. The bottom end shell is also provided with an embossed sump 42 which extends from the crown or center point 44 outwardly along a radial line and becomes larger in size as it approaches'the integral double walled chime 4th. The provision of this particular embossed sump in the bottom end shell makes it possible to tap the end shell from the side, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6 or in the bottom, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. Here again, whether the bottom end shell is tapped or 7 not is governed by the individual customer specifications,

FIGS. 3 and is a Keystone adaptor, although other adaptor fittings may be used as well. In viewing FIG. 2, it may be observed that the embossed sump terminates in the side wall of the bottom end shell in an indented annular recess v50. The adaptor fitting 46 projects insents a versatile construction which may be provided with adaptor fittings at either or both ends, dependmg upon individual customer requirements, and by the provision of the bungpatch plate assembly in the intermediate wardly from the annular recess and is in alignment with the embossed sump. In viewing FIGS. 3 and 5, it may be observed that the embossed sump terminates in an.

and 60, respectively, and are spaced by an intermediate 1 section 62 which is depressed below the surface .of the annular configurated surfaces. 7 The center portion is also provided with a hung patch plate assembly 64which surrounds and defines. the bung opening 66. The patch plate assembly comprises an inner patch plate 68; a flanged bung sleeve 70 which is connected to the inner patch plate, preferably by fusion welding; a bung support casting 72 which surrounds the bung sleeve "70 and is positioned above. the inner patch plate 68, the casting being formed preferably from aluminum or aluminum alloy in the manner broadly illustrated in FIG. 8; and an outer patch plate 74 which also surrounds the bung sleeve and fits above and over the bung supportcasting. The bung support casting spaces the outer patch plate from the inner patch plate except at the lower peripheral ends or lips 76 of the outer patch plate, which ends or lips are secured to the inner patch continuous center portion, the container may be readily cleaned and drained without leaving undesirable liquid collecting pockets.

Thus it may be apparent, now, that the various-components of the container of the present invent-ionmay be set up on a large production basis, and the type and number of adaptor fittings may be installed as required at a later time, entailing only minor changes in production assembly lines. a

What is claimed is:

1. In a single walled metal container, the combination of end shells of predetermined axial length formed with integral double walled chimes, an intermediate continuous center portion, said center portion having annular configurated flat surfaces reinforced on at least one side of said surfaces by annular corrugations, one of said. end shells having a concaved recessed aperture located e0 axially of said end shell in a convexed surface bounded by one of said integral double walled chimes, an embossed sump extending radially outwardly from the outer periphery of said concaved recessed'aperture and an adaptor fitting projecting axially outwardly from within said concaved. recessed aperture and extending coaxially of said end shell above said convexed surface, said embossed sump and said adaptor fitting disposed below the outermost end surface of said one integral double walled chime, a second adaptor fitting projecting axially inwardly within said' embossed sump and substantially circumferentially aligned with the flat surface between said integral double walled chimes, the other of said end shells having a spherical domed surface bounded by the other of said integral double walled chimes and an embossed sump extending radially outwardly from the center of said spherical domed surface, said embossed sump terminating in an axial apertured portion .of said other double walled. chime, said axial apertured portion having an adaptor fitting projecting axially inwardly in alignment with said embossed sump, and a patch plate assembly surrounding and defining a .bung opening in said intermediate continuous center. portion.

2. In a single walled metal container, the combination of end shells of predetermined axial length'formed with integral double walled chimes, an intermediate continuous center portion, said center portion having annular configurated fiat surfaces reinforced on at least one side of said surfaces by annular corrugations, one of said end shells having a concaved recessed aperture located coaxially of said end shell in a convexed surface bounded by one of said. integral doublewalledlchimes,an em bossed sump extending radially. outwardly from the outer periphery of said concaved, recessed aperture and an adaptor fitting projecting axially outward from within said concaved recessed aperture and extending coaxially of said end shell above said convexed surface,-said embossed sump and said adaptor fitting disposed below the outermost end surface of said one integral double walled chime, a second adaptor fitting projecting axially inplate, preferably, 'by fusion welding." The outer patch plate has a center edgedopening 78 which is secured to and beneath the flange portion of the flanged bung sleeve.

The resulting assembly of the completed container preminating in an axial apertured portion of saidv other double walled chime,- said axial: apertured portion having an adaptor fitting projecting axially'inwardl'y in radial alignment with-said embossed'sump, and a patch plate said intermediate continuous center portion, said assembly having an inner patch plate secured within said center portion, a bung sleeve connected to said inner patch plate and projecting outwardly from said bung opening, a bung support casting fitting around said bung sleeve, and an 5 outer patch plate forming part of said annular configurated fiat surfaces and annular corrugation and spaced from said inner patch plate by said bung support casting and secured at its lower peripheral ends to said inner patch plate, said outer patch plate having a center edge open- 0 ing surrounding and secured to said bung sleeve.

Kruse.

Avery.

Stanley 220'71 Kuhn. I

Lee 220-5 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE J. DRUMMOND, Examiner. 

1. IN A SINGLE WALLED METAL CONTAINER, THE COMBINATION OF END SHELLS OF PREDETERMINED AXIAL LENGTH FORMED WITH INTEGRAL DOUBLE WALLED CHIMES, AN INTERMEDIATE CONTINUOUS CENTER PORTION, SAID CENTER PORTION HAVING ANNULAR CONFIGURATED FLAT SURFACES REINFORCED ON AT LEAST ONE SIDE OF SAID SURFACES BY ANNULAR CORRUGATIONS, ONE OF SAID END SHELLS HAVING A CONCAVED RECESSED APERTURE LOCATED COAXIALLY OF SAID END SHELL IN A CONVEXED SURFACE BOUNDED BY ONE OF SAID INTEGRAL DOUBLE WALLED CHIMES, AN EMBOSSED SUMP EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID CONCAVED RECESSED APERTURE AND AN ADAPTOR FITTING PROJECTING AXIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM WITHIN SAID CONCAVED RECESED APERTURE AND EXTENDING COAXIALLY OF SAID END SHELL ABOVE SAID CONVEXED SURFACE, SAID EMBOSSED SUMP AND SAID ADAPTOR FITTING DISPOSED BELOW THE OUTERMOST END SURFACE OF SAID ONE INTEGRAL DOUBLE WALLED CHIME, A SECOND ADAPTOR FITING PROJECTING AXIALLY INWARDLY WITHIN SAID EMBOSSED SUMP AND SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ALIGNED WITH THE FLAT SURFACE BETWEEN SAID INTEGRAL DOUBLE WALLED CHIMES, THE OTHER OF SAID END SHELLS HAVING A SPHERICAL DOMED SURFACED BOUNDED BY THE OTHER OF SAID INTEGRAL DOUBLE WALLED CHIMES AND AN EMBOSSED SUMP EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE CENTER OF SAID SPHERICAL DOMED SURFACE, SAID EMBOSSED SUMP TERMINATING IN AN AXIAL APERTURED PORTION OF SAID OTHER DOUBLE WALLED CHIME, SAID AXIAL APERTURED PORTION HAVING AN ADAPTOR FITTING PROJECTING AXIALLY INWARDLY IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID EMBOSSED SUMP, AND A PATCH PLATE ASSEMBLY SURROUNDING SAID DEFINING A BUNG OPENING IN SAID INTERMEDIATE CONTINUOUS CENTER PORTION. 